More About This Site

Then and Now Media began in 2015 as an “I’m-getting-closer-to-retirement-what-am-I-going-to-do-then?” hobby of someone who has a deep affinity for the land, people, and places, especially rural life.

The grayed proprietor, Timothy Collins, has spent almost 40 years living and working in and studying small and rural communities in northern and southern West Virginia, south central and southwestern Pennsylvania, eastern and central Kentucky, and western Illinois. He spent a lot of time in school (too much according to some people) and has worked for universities as an administrator, teacher, researcher and community developer.

He has authored almost 200 publications, reports, and essays on rural life, including the environment, economic development, sustainable land use, and education. He is a regular contributor to the Daily Yonder, www.dailyyonder.com. He started his work life in journalism in the 1970s.

In March, 2014, he was elected chair of the Prairie Land Conservancy, which is dedicated to land preservation in western Illinois. In 2010, he was named by Governor Pat Quinn to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Advisory Board, where he helped staff develop the template for the recent statewide Conservation Congress. He served on the board until 2015. He has testified before Congress on rural development issues and is also a past board member of the Community Development Society.